It looks like talking about True Detective in 2014 might have been more popular than actually watching it.

Will Female Lead Save New Season Of 'True Detective' For Women? 

Casting rumors regarding the hit HBO crime drama nearly broke the internet last year, but the intensity of the show's following might have just ended there.

On Friday, Variety released a list of the most pirated TV shows of 2014 and if illegal viewing is any indicating of a program's popularity, True Detective might just be in trouble. 

Who Will Be True Detective's Next Breakout Star?  

Game Of Thrones, the only HBO series on the list, came in at #1, with AMC's The Walking Dead and CBS's The Big Bang Theory following at #2 and #3. The CW led amongst the networks in terms of pirating with three programs, including Supernatural, Arrow, and The Vampire Diaries.

Most illegal downloads came in from countries without legal access to recent American programming. With this in mind, it brings to question whether True Detective is a world-wide success or merely one specific to a certain culture. Since most of the pirated shows are a few seasons in, it's possible True Detective just simply hasn't been around long enough to become big in other countries.

Based on the list, it would also seem that fantasy, horror, and comedy translate better with other countries than regional dramas. True Detective's first season was deeply rooted in rural Louisiana. The second season, which is already in production, will follow the murder of a city manager in California.

True Detective returns on HBO for a second season mid-2015.

Tags: true detective hbo television